Electrotherapeutic apparatus.



No. 666,43l. Patented Jan. 22, |901.

J. S. MEAD.

ELECTBOTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS. (Applicmon med Aug. 55, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.lOl-IN S. MEAD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT WV. JV COURTNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTROTHERAPEUTI'C APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 666,431, dated January 22, 1901. Application filed August 25, 1900. Serial No. 28,023. (No model.)I

To if/ZZ whom, it 11i/ty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. MEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bualo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrotherapeutic Appa`ratus,of which t-he following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of electric apparatus employed in the treatment of nervous diseases, and more especially to apparatus of thi's kind which comprises a pair of hollow handles, one of which contains a small battery and the other an induction-coil, ieXible conductors connecting the primary coil with the battery, and a pair of body-contacts or electrodes carried by the respective handles and forming the terminals of the secondary coil. Heretofore the vibrator or circuit-interrupter of the apparatus has been operated directly by the induction-coil, but this construction is unsatisfactory, because the action of the vibrator is comparatively weak and unreliable.

The obj ect of my invention is to provide the apparatus with simple means for insuring a powerful and reliable action of the vibrator at all times.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the same, showing a different position of the automatic switch or vibrator. Fig. 3 is a cross-section in line 3 3, Fig. l.

Like letters of reference -refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is a small battery of any suitable construction, which is arranged in one of the hol-` low handles or shells B B of the apparatus. These handles may be constructed of any suitable non-conducting,` material, such as hard rubber, or of metal covered with insulating material, and each of the same is provided on one side with a removable lid l).

c c' are the poles of the battery, which bear, respectively, against a contact-spring c2 and a contact-plate c3, arranged in the front and rear portions of the handles B. The contactplate c3 bears against a binding-post c4, While the spring c2 is connected by a wire c5 with a binding-post c6, these posts being both arranged at the inner end of said handle.

D is the induction-coil, which is arranged in the rear portion of the other handle B' of the apparatus. is connected with a binding-post d, which is arranged at the inner end of said handle and which is connected with the binding-post c4 by a flexible conductor d. The other end of the primary coil is connected with a contactscrew d2, which passes through the side of the handle on the front side ofthe inductioncoil. nected with a binding-post e, while its other end is connected by a wire e with a metallic plate or body-contact c2, arranged at the front end of the handle B and having a facing e3, of sponge or other absorbent material,adapted to be moistened before using the apparatus. The binding-post c is connected bya flexible Wire or conductorwith abinding-postf, arranged on the other handle B,and this bindingpost is in turn connected by a wire j"2 with a body-contact f3, arranged at the front end of the handle B. These body-contacts form the terminals of the secondary coil and are adapted to be placed against the parts of the body through which the electric current is to be passed.

G is an electromagnetarranged in the same handle as the induction-coil and comprising, preferably, two connected coils, as shown in Fig. 3. One end of the magnet-coil is connected by a wire g with a contact-screw h, passing through the side of the adjacent handle and arranged opposite the electromagnet. The other end of the magnet-coil is connected with the binding-post d by a wire t'.

j is an armature or vibrator arranged between the free end of the electromagnet and the opposing end of the contact-screw h and carried by a leverj, which is pivoted between its ends to a standard jz, as shown. This lever is preferably constructed of spring-steel, so that its front arm, which carries the armature, acts as a spring which draws the armature away from the magnet when the latter is demagnetized. The rear arm of the armature-lever 7" bears at all times against the in- One end of the primary coil One end of the secondary coil is conner end ci a contact-screw 7e, which extends through the wall of the hollow handle B'. 'lhis contact-screw is connected by a wire 7t-I with a binding-post 7a2 on the handle B', and this post is in turn connected with the binding-post cG by a flexible conductor 7f3. The armature carries elastic switch members or contacts Z Z,which are adapted to bear against the contact-screws 7iy and (Z2, respectively. rlhese switch members are so arranged that when the member Z bears against its companion contact-screw 7L the other switch member Z' is out et contact with its companion contact-screw (Z2, as shown in Fig. 2, and so that when the switch member Z is out of contact with the screw 71. the switch member Z bears against the screw (Z2, as shown in Fig. l. The armature might be arranged to bear directly against the contact-screw 7i., but it would have a tendency to rebound therefrom and make an imperfect contact. To insure a perfect contact, the armature is provided with the elastic switch member Z. It will now be understood that the induction-coil D and the elect-romagnet G are arranged in separate branches of the battery or `generator circuit and that the contact-screws (Z2 and 7L form the terminals ot' said branch circuits. rPhe mem' bers Z Z of the armature form an automatic switch or make-and-break device which is actuated bythe armature and which directs the battery-current alternately through the induction-coil andthe electromagnet by contact with said branch terminals.

The contact-screw 7.; is adjustable in the handle B, so that the position ot the spring-arm, which carries the armature, can be properly adjusted. The contact screws Z2 and 7L are likewise adjustable, so that the distance between their inner ends and the switch members Z Z can be properly regulated.

The three flexible conducting-cords cZ/,f, and 7c3 are provided at their ends with the usual pins or plugs, which are removably clamped in the bindingposts of the two handles B B.

The operation oi' the apparatus is as follows: The upper switch member Z of the armature 'j is normally caused to bear against the magnet contact or terminal 7L by the elastic arm ol the armature, while the connection between the switch member Z' and the induction-coil terminal CZE is broken. Upon connecting the flexible conductors CZ, f, and 7a3 with the proper binding-posts the electromagnetj is energized by the current, which latter passes from one pole of the battery through the contact-spring c?, wire c5, binding-post 0G, conductor 7.33, bindingpost 753, wire Zt', contact-screw 7a, levery", switch member 7, contact-screw 7i, wire g, the electromagnet G, wire z', binding-post CZ, conductor d', binding-post c4, and the contact-plate c3 to the other pole of the battery. At the instant that the armature is attracted the switch member Z leaves the contact-screw 7L and the switch member Z is brought in coutact with the terminal screw (Z3, thereby interrupting the magnet-circuit and switching the ind uctiolrcoil in to the battery-circuit, the current now passing from one pole of the battery through the contact-spring c2, wire c, bin ding-post c, conductor 7:5", binding-pof=t7r wire 76', contactscrew 7c, leverj', switch member Z', contact-screw (Z2, the primary coil ol' .he induction-coil, landing-post (Z, conductor (Z, bindingpost ct, and contact-plate ciz tothe other pole of the battery. Atthe moment that this circuit is established the armature is retracted byits spring-arm and the position of the switch members Z Z' is reversed, again establishing the magnet-circuit, and so on as long as the induction-coil of the electromagnet remains connected with the battery. By thus actuating the vibrator or circuit-inter rupter by a separate electromagnet instead of directly from one end ol" the induction-coil the power ol the battery is utilized to better advantage in operating the vibrator, rendering the latter reliable in action.

I claim as my inventionl. 'lhe combination with an electric generator, of an iuduction-coil and au electromagnet, both included in the gencrator-circuit, and an automat-ic switch actuated by said electromagnet and operating to direct the current alternately through said inductioneoil and said electromagnet, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an electric generator, and two branch circuits connected therewith and each provided with a terminal contact, of an inductioircoil and an electromagnet arranged in said branch circuits, respectively, an armature operated by said electromagnet, an automatic switch vibrated by said electromagnet and arranged to bear alten nately against the terminal contacts of said branch circuits, and body-contacts 'forming the terminals ot' the secondary coil of the induction-coil, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with an electric generator, of an induction-coil having one of the terminals of its primary coil connected with one pole of the generator, an electromagnet having one of its terminals connected with the same pole of the generator, two contacts forming the other terminals of said electromagnet and said primary coil, a vibrator comprising an armature moved in one direction by said magnet and in the opposite direction by a spring, and switch members carried by said armature and arranged to bear alternately against said terminal contacts, and body-contacts forming the terminals of the secondary coil of the induction-coil, substantially as set forth.

el. rlhe combination with an electric generator, of an induction-coil having one of the terminals of its primary coil connected with one pole of the generator, an electromagnet having one of its terminals connected with IOO IIO

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the same pole of the generator, two contacts forming the other terminals of said electromagnet and said primary coil, a vibrator comprising an armature moved in one direction by said magnet and switch members carried by said armature and arranged to bear alterternately against said terminal contacts, an elastic lever carrying said armature and included in the generator-circuit, and an adjustable Contact also included in said circuit 1o and bearing against said elastic lever, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 21st day of August,

JOHN S. MEAD. Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, JNO. J. BONNER. 

